


As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

by BrassOctopi



Series: love like an ocean (beautiful and terrifying) [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Human Prince Sidon, M/M, Mentions of Drowning, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Near Death Experience, Sign Language, mermaid zelda, merman link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 20:19:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19471432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrassOctopi/pseuds/BrassOctopi
Summary: Sidon clung to the mast as the wind whipped water into his face, wondering if it would be ironic if he died in the same way as his sister or merely coincidental. He’d never been good with literature lessons, and to be fair, his mind was mostly consumed with other things at the moment.





	As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all knew it was coming, right? Obligatory "Sidon nearly drowns and his merman not-boyfriend saves him".

Sidon clung to the mast as the wind whipped water into his face, wondering if it would be ironic if he died in the same way as his sister or merely coincidental. He’d never been good with literature lessons, and to be fair, his mind was mostly consumed with other things at the moment. He could already feel his father’s rage, spurred by grief. After all, he had expressly told Sidon not to do as he was currently doing. 

Before he left on his journey, a diplomatic mission to the Rito, Dorephan had held his son by the shoulders, grip firm despite his increasing age. Sidon was no small man, but Dorephan still towered over him, though the years had rounded his physique. “You will promise me that you will be careful, my son.”

“I will, Father.”

“If a storm comes upon you, you must get inside. Do not risk yourself - the sailors are more experienced than you, and can handle the ship. We cannot lose you.” Mipha’s missing presence loomed over them both, and Sidon had swallowed, nodding once.

“Yes, Father.”

But how could he abandon his crew? It wasn’t as if he was a novice to the ship’s rigging; all of his free time, prior to meeting his lovely merman, had been spent down at the docks, asking question after question while the sailors taught him how they ran a ship. He had gone out sailing, both in small dories that barely held him and a pair of sailors and on large caravels, allowed to steer them around the harbor. After all, a prince could pay handsomely for such jaunts, reimbursing the lost time for packing boxes aboard and then some. It was only right that now, when his crew needed him most, he should be above deck and doing his best to help keep the ship steady.

None of that seemed to matter as he felt his grip slackening, gritting his teeth against the cold and the rain. The squalls had been getting worse recently, and for a moment he regretted not taking the land route, though it would have taken almost three times as long to arrive. A large wave slammed into the ship, breaking the last of his strength. Unable to fight the raging waves and wind, he was swept overboard, plunging deep into the waters below. 

Like his sister before him, Sidon had spent enough time in the water to be an accomplished swimmer. They’d spent many afternoons playing by the sea when he was young, and as he grew he pushed himself harder, swimming up and down the strand in deeper and deeper water, going longer distances, swimming rougher seas. But nothing compared to the fury of a maelstrom, and every time he tried to get to the surface, the waves pulled him under again.

Darkness started to surge at the edges of his vision, and he felt his arm strength going weak. Just as he let his eyes drift closed, just as he stopped fighting the current, he heard a loud, high pitched noise, seemingly echoing from all around him. Brilliant blue eyes appeared in front of him, and the world went dark.

* * *

**So this is the Zora prince I’ve heard so much talk about.**

“Mipha?” It felt like Sidon was still underwater. His arms and legs moved sluggishly, as though swimming, despite being in plain air as far as he could tell. There was red hair, just out of reach, with golden eyes like a mirror. His sister’s mouth moved slowly, the movements not quite matching her words.

**He’s speaking to me. He wants Mipha.**

“Yes, yes!” Sidon’s voice was ragged, a thousand shards of glass tearing at his throat. He tried to nod, but couldn’t move enough. “Mipha, I’ve missed you, you aren’t supposed to be here - ”

The image distorted. His golden eyes were now met with bright blue, the girl’s bow of a mouth turned down at the corners. **I am not Mipha. I’m sorry.** Her hair faded to gold, slowly washing out shade by shade as Sidon cried out in dismay. The image distorted again, overexposed, and a second figure layered over the first. **I’m sorry.** The words came from the girl, but the second figure made the sign for **_sorry_** , over and over in an endless loop.

**Rest now, Zora prince. You’re scaring him.**

Before Sidon could protest, ask for any sort of explanation, the world went completely black again.

* * *

Sidon coughed himself awake. Rolling onto his side, he retched, the taste of seawater heavy in his mouth. The movement dislodged a layer of palm leaves that had been placed on top of him, though by what, he couldn’t imagine. It took him a moment to take in his surroundings - a secluded beach he had never seen before, the sun shining and birds calling in the distance. He was barely out of the water, but it was clear that someone had placed him there, carefully moving him far enough that he wouldn’t be taken by the high tide. 

“He’s awake!” 

Sidon startled at the sudden voice, scrambling up and pushing himself backwards, as if that would do anything to protect himself. The stranger giggled, and he looked around, spotting a young child out in the surf. Before he could do more than open his mouth, the little girl was turning around and yelling out to the waves. “Link! Li-ink, he’s awake!” Dumbfounded, Sidon watched as the young merchild did a little half leap out of the water and dived beneath the waves, red tail slapping the water as she went.

Less than a minute later, Link was breaching the surface instead, eyes wild until he spotted Sidon in his new position. Link raced to the shore, throwing himself on the sand and using his arms to drag himself the rest of the way next to Sidon.

“Stop, Link, I beg you - I’m alright, don’t hurt yourself on my account!”

**_Three days,_ ** Link informed him, then reached up to take Sidon’s face in his hands. He’d never really noticed before, but Link’s fingers were slightly webbed and covered with light, translucent scales that he had never been able to see in the dark of the cove. Link carefully turned Sidon’s head from side to side, fingers feather light against his cheeks. Sidon was so entranced by the feeling that it took him a moment to register what Link was telling him.

“Three - Three days? I’ve been lying there for three days?”

Link frowned, biting the corner of his lip as he tried to explain. Sidon briefly mourned the loss of his touch when the merman pulled back to sign.  **_Out three days. On the beach for two. One day of travel. You were very far out in the ocean, even for here._ **

Sidon had so many questions, it was hard to pick one. “Here. Where is here, Link?”

**_K-O-R-O-K Korok forest._ ** Link looked at him expectantly, puffing his cheeks out when Sidon simply gave him a blank look.  **_Forest spirits? Friends._ ** He gestured behind Sidon, who looked to where he was pointing. There were several sets of eyes on him from beyond the tree line, all of which vanished with startled squeaks the moment he looked at them. He turned back to Link just in time to catch the merman’s eye roll.  **_Shy friends._ **

“Right, okay. That’s… that’s the least of my worries right now.” Sidon nodded, crossing his legs. “What of my crew? Are they here as well?”

Link shifted back and forth, and Sidon wasn’t sure if he was squirming at the question or merely the hot sand.  **_No. Zelda wouldn’t allow it. But they were safe, as many as I could find._ ** Link refused to meet his eyes, instead looking back out towards the sea.  **_Big pieces of wood. Lifeboats. Lost some. I’m sorry._ **

Sidon could feel his stomach drop, but forced himself to nod. “You did what you could, Link. For that, I am grateful.”

**_Could not let you drown. Could not let you be Mipha._ ** Link flicked his tail, and suddenly began scooting back towards the water. 

“Link - ”

**_Food_ ** , Link signed over his shoulder, before diving into the water.

“Link!” Sidon scrambled for the shore, only stopping as a wave of nausea overtook him. It was no use, anyway. Link was once again gone.

* * *

Sidon had tried to stay awake, he really had, but the exhaustion and warm sand beneath him dragged him back under. The next time he woke, Link was back, though he stayed in the water this time. He gestured to a pile of supplies near Sidon’s feet. There was a large, flat leaf, upon which rested two large fish. Next to that was a pile of sticks and dry grass, and in a pile, what appeared to be about fifty small rocks, each no larger than half his palm.

**_Koroks don’t know what flint is. All I could remember was black rock. I hope those are right. You don’t eat uncooked fish, and fire will keep you warm at night, right?_ ** Link fidgeted with his hands, and everything became clear to Sidon. The palm leaves he had woken up under were a clumsy attempt at a blanket, probably placed on him by the Korok as directed by Link. Even as he slept, Link had clearly been keeping watch over him, desperate to keep him alive. Sidon’s breath caught in his throat, and he nodded.

“Yes, and even if there’s no flint, there are other ways to start fire. Thank you, Link. And thank you to your friends, as well.”

Link smiled, relieved, and moved closer to where sand met waves. He watched in fascination as Sidon set up the campfire, nimble hands picking through the rocks and striking the flint with ease. As Sidon stuck the fish on sticks and placed them near the fire, Link gave him a smile back, seeming to finally be over his worry.  **_Sorry, no spices._ **

Sidon had to laugh at that. “I believe I can survive a night without it, dearest Link.” Link laughed as well, the bright chime that would have brought Sidon to his knees, were he standing. Sidon’s smile quickly faded, however, as he became lost in thought.

“Link, I appreciate all that you have done for me. But please, is there any way that you can help me back to my home? My father will be worried for me, and I must get back as soon as possible.”

Link lowered his eyes for a moment, but nodded, well aware that he couldn’t keep Sidon secreted away here forever. After all, it wasn’t as if he would stop showing up in the cove.  **_Wanted to make sure you were okay first. That you were strong enough to travel._ **

“Ah, I suppose it depends on the travel. As a passenger, I could leave today, but as a sailor…”

Link waved both hands to interrupt him.  **_Passenger. Zelda insists._ **

“Zelda. That’s the princess you mentioned, is she not?” Link had been cagey about his family, about the life he led when not with Sidon, but he had talked about her a few times. The sole heir to the kingdom of the merfolk, she was like a sister to Link, and the merman was very fond of her. Sidon had the suspicion that if Link were not so close to her, Sidon wouldn’t be alive now. “May I thank her, as well?”

“You may.” A new voice came from further out from the shore. It commanded respect, the tone regal and soft. Sidon squinted to try to see better as the young merwoman swam closer. She truly looked like she could be Link’s sister, though her decorations were far more elaborate, and he caught a glimpse of pure white scales accented with blue when her tail flicked above the water.

“Your highness,” Sidon replied, bowing as best he could from his seat on the sand. The world may have gone mad around him, but never let it be said that Prince Sidon of the Zora lost his manners.

“Your highness,” Zelda echoed back, dipping her head briefly. “It’s good to finally meet you. So you’re the human that Link has been spending so much time with.” She seemed to be sizing him up, while Link sputtered beside her, waving his hands to try to stop her. She ignored him and his signing, which Sidon desperately wished he could turn to see what he was saying without looking rude. Sidon stayed quiet as she swam from one side of him to the other, thoroughly inspecting him. After what felt like an eternity of silent scrutiny, she moved away again, sighing. “Well, Link always did have odd tastes.” Link let out a sound like a strangled cat, and even from his angle, Sidon could tell he was turning bright red. He couldn’t help but laugh, even if it made something in his chest hurt.

“I think you’ve got the wrong idea, your highness. Link is my dearest friend, but he’s never indicated anything more than that.”

“Is that so?” Zelda looked unconvinced, looking between Link and Sidon. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. Here.” She reached into a pouch tied around her waist, withdrawing a handful of seeds. “Eat these before you sleep. It will ensure you sleep through our travels, and when you wake, it will be in your homeland. I’m not having you remember the way here so you can bring your people to take our island.” Link moved forward, indignant, but Sidon stopped him with a hand.

“I understand your concern, your highness. I’ll do as you ask. Thank you once again for all your help.” He accepted the seeds, rolling them around in his palm. “May I ask something, though?” Zelda tilted her head, waiting for him to continue. “Why me? Is it simply because Link asked?”

Zelda considered his question for a long moment. “Your sister was a friend to us. She helped Link when he was injured, despite the fact that our people do not like each other. And besides that, you are a friend of the sea.”

“I’m - I’m sorry, I beg your pardon?”

“The fish, Prince Sidon. The ones you move every morning. Link isn’t the only one who noticed your kindness to them. There was nothing for you to gain, no honor, certainly no glory. You did it for them and for your sister. It seems a fair exchange, helping you after you helped so many of them.”

“Oh.” Sidon blinked. He hadn’t even thought about it, beyond it being a tradition and reminder of Mipha. Her voice echoed softly in his head.  _ The sea takes care of us, Sidon. We must be sure to take care of it the same way.  _ “Thank you, then. I assure you that I will continue to do so when I return.”

“See that you do.” Zelda began floating backward, a devilish grin suddenly appearing on her face. “And maybe think about what I said? Link’s always been, well. Bad with words, even when signed.” She laughed, heading back out into the open water. Link sped after her, expression somewhere between mortified and livid. Sidon, for his own part, felt  _ very  _ confused, but somehow… warm, as well.

* * *

True to her word, when Sidon awoke next, it was to the clamor of voices.

“The prince!” - “He’s returned!” - “Is he alive?” - “Look at him, not a scratch!” - “Even though the ship went to bits, did you hear?” - “Sh, lad, he’s waking up!”

Sidon slowly opened his eyes, blinking up at the crowd of villagers gathered around him. A gap appeared, and Muzu shoved his way forward. “Up, up, your highness! Your father wishes to see you immediately. Come, make haste.”

Sidon allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, waving dazedly to the villagers as he was led away. Well wishes were called after him, along with promises of gifts, and he was too discombobulated to argue at the moment. Muzu led him through the palace gates and into the throne room, one hand on Sidon’s back to keep him steady. Despite his crabby demeanor, Sidon smiled, knowing it was how Muzu showed he cared.

His father, on the other hand, was more traditional. He was already halfway across the throne room when they entered, and he grabbed Sidon in a strong hug, uncaring of the sea water and sand he was surely getting on his clothes.

“Sidon, my son, my precious son.” Dorephan rested his cheek atop Sidon’s head, and Sidon could feel himself tearing up at the emotion in his voice. He held onto his father tightly, burying his face against the older man’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Father. I didn’t listen to you, and now I’ve made you worry.”

“Nonsense, my boy. The ship went down - nothing you could have done about that. I must thank the goddess that she returned you to me safe and sound.” 

Sidon took a deep breath, working up his courage. “The goddess and the merfolk, Father.”

Dorephan pulled back, brow furrowing in his confusion. “The merfolk? What do they have to do with this miracle?”

“Everything!” Sidon coughed, calming himself. “I mean - they saved me, Father. I was losing to the waves, but one of their kind found me and carried me to safety, and then brought me home again. If it weren’t for the merfolk, I would be dead now, I’m certain.”

“Preposterous!” Muzu shook his head, scowling. “The sea water has given you delirium, your highness. No merfolk would aid a human like that.”

“Now, Muzu,” Dorephan warned him, keeping one arm around his son’s shoulders as he turned to look at his advisor. “Sidon has a good head on his shoulders. If he claims the merfolk helped him, then I believe the merfolk helped him.” Sidon felt relief flood his veins. “Perhaps we should rethink how we view the merfolk. But for now, you need rest, my boy.”

Sidon nodded, reluctantly pulling away from his father. “Thank you, Father.”

“No need to thank me, Sidon. I would give up my entire kingdom to see you home safe and sound.” Dorephan smiled at him, and Sidon could feel his throat getting choked up again. “Go now, rest. The healers will be at your rooms soon.”

Sidon nodded, turning to leave with a light heart. Before he knew it, the healers had come and gone, leaving behind tinctures to ease his throat and help him rest. As he drifted off to sleep, he remembered the merwoman’s teasing implications. Surely it was all a jest, wasn’t it? And yet… what if it wasn’t?

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I finally made a tumblr for my writing! I didn't want to just give my main one because there's a whole lot of nonsense over there. Please feel free to come talk to me at https://possiblyelvenwrites.tumblr.com/ ; I'm going to reblog prompts there soon, so feel free to request things. It doesn't have to be merman AU, or even Sidlink. I'll be putting up a fandom list tomorrow, once I actually sleep some. As always, thank you for reading!
> 
> PS: Bonus points if you know what I was referencing in both Siren Song and this fic, with the whole "throwing fish back in the ocean" thing.


End file.
